Artie

"Get out of here or I will call the police," the woman who occupied the room said.

"Damn, don't even try to bluff me. How long have you been setting this up Michael." Artie reached over to pull the wig off his head. "Have you always been a cross dresser, or did you do it just for the money?" Artie was really curious at that point.

"Who are you?" Michael asked.

"Insurance man, you ain't getting the bread, they already know. If you talk quick, you might be able to outrun the cops. So how did it happen?"

"I have had this identity for years. I just did it for fun at first. Leslie loved it, so when we got married I kept Emma. Then when I lost everything, we decided to fake my death. After we got the insurance we planned to get the hell out of the country. I planned to stay Emma."

"Who went over the cliff?" I asked it even though it was a secondary consideration with me. I wasn't being paid to find that out."

"Homeless man my age," Michael said.

"Okay, it works for me. You guys have a nice trip. Oh by the way is your boat paid for?"

"Yes, " Leslie said. "Are you going to blackmail me."

"No, I was thinking that if I were you, I would jump on it and make a run out of it. Hell, why not what you got to lose."

The cops were waiting at the marina. I never told them that I wouldn't call the cops, artie thought, as he watched it later that night on the six o'oclock news.